Marketers should harness creativity of Gen C consumers

Written by
Paul Smithson
Thursday, 26 April 2012 15:39

The next generation of young adults will be adept at using technology creatively and this trend should be utilised by advertisers.

Email marketing firms are constantly trying to find ways of engaging with subscribers and VentureBeat suggested in a column for washingtonpost.com that people born after 1998 may respond well to having their creative energy encouraged.

This generation, labelled 'Gen C' or 'Gen Connected', will soon be turning 18 years old and advertisers will need to work out how they will successfully grab their attention as a potential customer.

VentureBeat claimed that the selling landscape will change when Gen C are in the driving seat and firms will need to look at making everything more personalised - much more than just putting the recipient's name at the start of an email.

"Jaded by marketing, they will need to be convinced of why what you are selling is relevant to their particular areas of interest. To succeed, you'll need to figure out how to allow Gen C'ers to customize product offerings or bundles to suit their needs," added the technology resource.

Gen C are loosely defined as a generation that has never known a time before the internet, so their approach to technology is different. People currently between 18 and 29 years old are widely referred to as Millennials, with plenty of research having been devoted to such consumers.

One study reported this week by marketingpilgrim.com took place at the Appalachian State University and looked at the way online relationships with Millennials work. Lead researcher Dr Tina McCorkindale concluded that this type of consumer likes a responsive relationship with brands, in which the company gives something back for their interest.